Samiam is a band from Berkeley, California formed in late 1988 after the breakup of the Gilman club mainstay Isocracy. Their first show was in January 1989 with Christ on Parade. They released records through New Red Archives and Hopeless Records in the US and Burning Heart Records in Europe. In the mid-90s, the band had two releases on a major labels, Atlantic Records in 1994 and Ignition/Tommy Boy in 1997. This path achieved modest mainstream success; a video for Capsized gained a lot of airplay on MTV, they performed on the Jon Stewart Show in 1994 and the single, "She Found You" garnered considerable radio play in 1998. The band toured extensively throughout Europe, No. America and Japan with the likes of Bad Religion, Green Day, The Toadies, Sense Field, Blink 182 and Millencolin.
In late 2000 the band quietly ceased after supporting the "Astray' album. Despite what was initially to be a break up, they continued to tour abroad yearly (Europe 3X, South America) with occasional shows in San Francisco and Los Angeles. This lead to the recording of the bands 7th album, "Whatever's Got You Down" in 2006. They toured europe 3 more times in 2006 and 2007 and played various U.S. dates in 2008.
The band has a rarities album coming out in September 2010 on No Idea Records that contains 18 tracks from the 'Clumsy' and 'You Are Freaking Me Out' era performances. "Some are live, some are in-studio radio takes and a couple are unused studio cuts." It will be released as a cd as well as a double gatefold LP.
Then in the fall 2010 they headed to Europe with the Casting Out and A Death in the Family, performing a few shows in the United States beforehand joined on drums by Charlie Walker, from Split Lip/Chamberlain/New End Original.
2011 promises to be a doozy: following their performances on the east coast and at Krazyfest in the spring, the band will release their 8th album in september followed by tours of No. America and europe...and a return to the fest Halloween weekend.
